Currently, cut hay is raked into a windrow by the operation of a rear mounted tractor carried rake. Two raking passes over the cut grain are required to produce the desired windrow and this is followed by a third pass with a baler to produce bales from the windrowed hay or grain. Actually, the current complete process of harvesting hay requires at least five passes, namely, two cutting passes, two raking and one baling pass to clear a twenty foot wide swath. Each one of these passes involves the use of a tractor. When the present invention is utilized, a total of only three passes is involved in harvesting hay, two cutting passes and a single raking and baling pass when the hay is sufficiently dry. The economic advantage of the invention over the prior art is considerable and will be recognized by anyone skilled in the art.
To comply with the disclosure requirements under 37 C.F.R. 1.56, the following prior U.S. Pat. Nos. are made of record herein:
______________________________________ 2,893,192 3,145,522 2,977,743 3,910,019 3,135,082 4,047,370 4,077,189 ______________________________________